Learning Through Others

Masifunda is an organization that accepts volunteers from NMMU in a nearby township. The volunteers stated objective is to assist children with homework. Although I can almost guarantee the volunteers will learn more from the children than the reverse. I especially appreciated that at the orientation the guide made this reciprocal nature of learning fairly evident.

I will not be volunteering with Masifunda, but Maggie will be and shared this story with me. On a tour of the township where they will be working the volunteers stopped at a beauty salon. One student asked the barber there in light of making conversation, "so how much does a haircut cost?"

The lady denounced this and said to him. "One does not ever ask about prices before asking how the person is doing." Although both parties meant well, this is the essence of what I love about my new home. PEOPLE come first, always.

I have experienced this countless times and it has challenged me to evaluate my western style of thinking. For example, Maggie and I stopped by a Travel Information Booth to inquire about car rentals. We asked about it directly as there were other people waiting for the worker's assistance. After helping to answer our questions she asked us numerous personal questions about our length of stay, where we were from, the weather even though she was aware of the other customers. My awareness of them made me feel uneasy to take up time discussing these thigns at length and I found myself rushing the conversation as a result. Once again, Western perception of time puts business ahead of relationships and after leaving I felt disappointed about those feelings. I wish for myself to change this sentiment.